


The thoughts of three blackbirds

by Keenir



Category: Sleepy Hollow (TV)
Genre: Coda, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-04
Updated: 2014-11-04
Packaged: 2018-02-24 02:11:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2564423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Keenir/pseuds/Keenir
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Having just defeated Henry's latest plan, the Witnesses and Katrina face an arriving Horseman - and Abraham's weapon surprises them all.<br/>Coda to <span class="u">Deliverance</span>.</p><p> </p><p>  <i>I was of three minds,</i><br/><i>Like a tree</i><br/><i>In which there are three blackbirds.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	The thoughts of three blackbirds

Abby and Ichabod were still standing there a few minutes later, when Katrina took her first steps outdoors.

"Whoa there, you in a hurry?" Abby asked her, as she and Crane'd just ran over to Katrina's sides, ready to lend their support in case she needed their aid in standing upright.

"Evening is well falling," Katrina said.

"Horseman," Abby recognized.  _Though, why doesn't Henry have that sun allergy the other Horseman does?_

And, seemingly at the sound of that word, that name, that title, the sound of a horse reached their ears.

"Not.  A.  Word, Crane," Abby muttered.

"No," Katrina said when they tried to back her into the church.  "I will not flee."

"You already did," Ichabod said.  "That is what you told us."

"I fled our son.  I did not flee him."

 _O-kay_ , Abby thought.  "So, what do we do," seeing the Horseman unsheathing his axe as he sat upon his horse charging towards them.   Abby unholstered her gun.

 _What the hell?_ she thought as the Horseman neared them - thirty, twentyfive, twenty feet away - and sheathed his axe.  "This a trick?" she asked, not sure who she was asking.

"Gratitude for saving your life once again?" Ichabod asked, though sounding more like it was a last and desperate guess by someone at a loss.

"I believe so," Katrina said.

Abby only holstered her sidearm when the Horseman stopped his horse only ten feet from them, dismounted, and walked up to them...all without reaching for any of the weapons on his person.  "Can we help you?" she asked him.

"He knows we were victorious," Katrina said to Abby, as if that were a reply.

"This is perhaps the longest any of us have been with him without anyone being wounded," Ichabod remarked.  "Save for yourself, of course."

There was a silence, to which Katrina smiled and gave a slight nod.  "Abraham is grateful to you both," she said.

"He what now?" Ichabod asked.

Abby shook her head, having a few guesses as to where Crane had picked up that grammar.

"You are not...angered with us?" Ichabod asked. "We did, after all, deprive your master of a swift arrival upon the world."

What Katrina was the precise words Abraham replied with: "This world is not yet prepared for the arrival of Moloch - he has declared that to me, as he stated that _Henry_ 's action was not at the prompting of anyone save for Henry."  What she did not relay, was what Abraham said to her next: "I would have ended every one of his Hellfire minions."

Katrina nodded.  _To save me.  I saw,_ and mouthed that to him.

"So, you're saying Henry's got your boss mad at him?" Abby asked.

"Yes."

"Any chance Moloch can deal with him?"  When Katrina and Ichabod looked crossly at her, Abby said, "If Moloch kicks Henry out, wouldn't that be abandonment just like he says you did to him?"

"Thus he seeks vengeance against all three of us?  A novel thing to imagine," Ichabod said.

"She is to a degree correct," Abraham said.

"Abraham agrees with you," Katrina said to Abby.

"Thanks," Abby said to Abraham.  _And that's normally high on my list of things I don't plan on doing most days._

"However," Abraham added, "Henry would not raise arms against Moloch - he would instead redouble his efforts against Ichabod and Miss Mills.  And his ire would increase against you.  For all that I can be there for you, Katrina, I am at times ineffectual; this recent...it has forced me to realize that."

"I know," Katrina said, her voice a balm to him.

"Know?  Know what?" Abby asked.

A much for Abraham as for the others present, Katrina said, "I know you came to my aid, Abraham.  Had you not slain those Hellfire men, I would not have been able to make an escape, and I would have perished while birthing Moloch too soon into an unready world," some words chosen as much for uncertainty over Abraham's loyalties and if they wavered lately if ever...

"An act for which I thank you, Abraham," Ichabod said.  _If he is truly acting independently of Moloch, then..._ and wasn't certain which was more reassuring and which was worrisome: when the 'he' was Abraham and when it was his son.

She saw Abraham look to his old friend and she heard his answer.  "He welcomes your thanks, and thanks you for coming to my rescue where he could not."

"Yes, well; Miss Mills was responsible for much of it."

"Yes, he suspected as much."

Abby chuckled.

What he said next, drew Katrina's attention fully, and widened her eyes, tightening her grip on the Horseman's arms.

"Katrina?" Abby and Ichabod asked.  "You okay?" Abby followed up that question with.

"Truly?" Katrina asked, her attention locked on Abraham.

"Truly," Abraham said. 

"You would..."

"Katrina?" Ichabod asked, thinking about what she had told him of that charm about her neck.  "Abraham, what are you saying?"

"I am of little use where sunlight is shone," Abraham said.  "And I would let you take shelter with Miss Mills and her fellow sheriffs, but that their war against Moloch will take them away from wherever you rest your head and lay your books.  It is for that reason that I shall accompany you.  I shall not raise arms against Moloch; only against those who seek to bring harm to you."

Katrina relayed that to the Witnesses.

"He is the Horseman of -"

Abby interupted Ichabod: "Hey!  If your son can be redeemable, why not your best friend?  Besides, he's right."

"Now that is most certainly not a phrase I thought to ever hear you say," Ichabod said.

"I know.  Boy do I know.  Still, he's right -  if Katrina goes back to the house, with or without him, Henry can still get to her.  And if Katrina comes with us, Henry and who knows what else can still get to her."

Nodding, "The Hellfire club does know our location.  Or they did, if they happened to spread that information prior to the taking down."

What Abby thought was, _Even if he never helps us, he'll still defend Katrina - which may mean from time to time, he'll defend our HQ.  Still, that means showing him where we've made a base of operations - info he might eventually take back to Moloch after however long.  I'm doubting this guy'll gain our trust - or regain in some cases.  Still, he might give some pointers in our war...even if its only stuff that'll be useful in the battles, not in any plan of action against Moloch_.

What Ichabod thought was, _You are correct, Miss Mills.  I would be most pleased if my old friend Abraham joined our side, a feeling equal only to redeeming my son, or in freeing our friend's soul.  Mind, I am personally aware of all he has done in the service of Moloch, and am read on what Abraham will yet do in that service.  And his words - spoken through Katrina - are true, regarding the dangers, both for Katrina, your sister, and any others who come to the inner circle of we Witnesses' trust.  Abraham would be invaluable in that regard.  Still, I cannot help but wonder what plan of Moloch's or his own he is working._

What Katrina thought was, _Clever, Abraham.  Offer to bring me even closer to Ichabod, yet paradoxically more unattainable.  Perhaps you would come to slay one or some of the Witness' foes, and then claim you did so in defense of me.  Let them trust you.   As ever, your plan - and your heart - centers on me and gaining my confidence, my closeness. No doubt you have a plan, but even Moloch changes his strategies when the circumstances dictate.  Let them trust you, Abraham._

The Headless Horseman stood silently, awaiting their judgement.


End file.
